Career criminal arrested in slaying of NYC police officer
A career criminal wanted by police in the shooting of a gang member last month was arrested and expected to be charged with fatally shooting an officer during a gunfight on a pedestrian bridge after stealing a bike, authorities said Wednesday.
Tyrone Howard, suspected of killing New York Police Department Officer Randolph Holder on Tuesday night, had been arrested 20 times for offenses including drug possession and robbery, authorities said. He’s been sentenced to state prison twice since 2007 on drug possession and sale convictions, state records show.
Howard, 30, had also been wanted in connection with a Sept. 1 shooting in Manhattan, said James O’Neill, the NYPD’s chief of department. Investigators suspected Howard had shot at a member of the East Army gang, but he wasn’t arrested because he skipped out on court dates and police couldn’t track him down at his home, O’Neill said.